A former Gainesville fire station soon could become a community cultural arts center.
The project, a collaboration between the University of Florida and city of Gainesville, could push out the many homeless people who have been pitching tents outside Old Fire Station No. 1 at 427 S. Main St., which is next door to St. Francis House.
Gainesville and UF officials say the center is just what the neighborhood needs.
City Commissioners endorsed the concept of the arts center last week, instructing City Manager Lee Feldman to come back with cost estimates for renovating the building, including the cost of bringing it up to code.
A truck leaves the industrial cement property that sits across the street from Porters, one of Gainesville s historically Black neighborhoods. (MacKenzie DiLeo/WUFT News) Home/Environment/Porters Community Residents Are Growing Tired Of Noise And Dust Coming From Neighboring Cement Companies
Porters Community Residents Are Growing Tired Of Noise And Dust Coming From Neighboring Cement Companies
By MacKenzie DiLeo
May 12, 2021
Chris Fillie worries about dusty peppers.
Fillie has lived in the Porters Community for 17 years and owns a community garden on Southwest Third Street. There, he grows peppers, tomatoes, parsley and rosemary. While the garden has existed for 15 years and is meant to bring fresh produce and a green space to Porters, Fillie is concerned about the garden’s location near an industrial site.
In a 20-minute speech, Poe shared the city’s accomplishments and failures, with occasional cameos from city commissioners and local leaders. He discussed topics from homelessness to social justice.
WUFT News fact checked and added context to some of the statements the city included in the address:
(Mayor Lauren Poe:) In the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, organizers worked cooperatively to work with city community members, including the Gainesville Police Department, to hold peaceful and powerful demonstrations, continuing Gainesville’s long-standing commitment to protecting our neighbors’ right to peacefully protest.
Fact check: Gainesville was one of about 30 U.S. cities that held a “March for Our Freedom” protest in May following Floyd’s death. Organizers urged the community to stay peaceful and use the event as an opportunity to spark awareness of police brutality. After the event, William John Connelly drove his car into protesters, according to police.
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